You might think of YouTube solely as a video hosting website, but the veteran social media-powered platform is also considered one of the largest search engines in the world, next to Google. YouTube has over 2.7 billion monthly active users and YouTube Shorts boasts over 70 billion views every day. If you are producing videos or are looking to widen your audience, marketing with YouTube could prove fruitful.

The first thing to know about YouTube is that it is owned by Google’s parent company, and YouTube videos are often seamlessly incorporated into Google search engine results. Understanding what types of videos tend to show up in search results may spark some ideas for videos you could produce.

Google tends to showcase how-to videos, as well as reviews and entertainment-focused videos. That said, don’t start producing videos that are off-brand or irrelevant to your target market. Look for ways to incorporate popular video types that align with your brand and business goals.

Shorter Videos Are Winning

One way to use YouTube in your social media marketing mix is to produce and upload shorter videos to your YouTube channel. YouTube devotes an entire section of their site to Shorts, videos up to three minutes long. When you upload shorter videos to YouTube, they are automatically categorized as Shorts. You can also create Shorts directly through the YouTube mobile app. Shorts are prominently displayed on the YouTube landing page.

Think about the type of short videos you could make that fit your business. An accountant could give short tutorials on how to use different features on Quickbooks, for example, and empower both current clients and potentially reach and attract new ones. An auto mechanic could show the basics of preventative car maintenance; like how to keep car tires properly inflated. A restaurant owner can give quick behind-the-scenes glimpses of how their specialty dishes are made or how they can be modified for different dietary needs.

The Potential of AI-Generated Content

For better or worse, AI-generated images and videos are all over social media. Using AI-powered video generating tools can make it quick and easy to create videos but take care to use them responsibly. Some ways AI can help you with video production include:

1. Workshopping concepts before you shoot a live video
2. Taking text descriptions of video concept and translating it into visuals
3. Bringing still images to life with realistic-looking motion
4. Adding expensive-looking special effects for just the cost of the app
5. Generating voiceovers, sound effects, and subtitles
6. Rapidly editing video footage into interesting sequences
7. Optimizing lighting and audio for better-quality videos

Some video generating AI tools include Sora, Runway, and Kling.

Leverage Other YouTube Features

In addition to Shorts, YouTube hosts other types of videos including live streams, 360 videos, and premieres. Live streams are a great way to build an audience and interact with them during the stream. Use a live stream to demonstrate how to use your product or to give an insider’s glimpse of how your products are made.

If you’re a real estate agent, the 360-video feature can transform your property walkthroughs by giving a more expansive perspective to help you promote what you offer. 360 videos are spherical and can be viewed on desktop browsers, the YouTube mobile app, and even on most VR headsets. 360 videos can create a more immersive experience which could be perfect for a tourism business or showcasing a concert or event. YouTube also supports 180-degree videos.

YouTube Premieres are scheduled videos that can be a planned event where you can chat live with your audience as the video plays. Premieres have the feel of a live stream but are pre-produced videos that are streamed live. You can build anticipation for the "premiere" of a video you’ve produced and turn the viewing into an event. If you own a women’s fashion boutique, you could pre-record a fashion show, market the premiere on your YouTube channel as a special event, then show it live and provide live commentary, answering audience questions along the way.

YouTube as a Video Archive

Not every business should use YouTube as their main social media platform, however, even if you favor Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn and produce videos for those platforms, there is value in archiving them on your YouTube channel. By using YouTube as a video archive, you are potentially reaching a wider audience while giving your videos more opportunity to show up in Google search engine results.

Another benefit of archiving your videos on YouTube is being able to tap into advertising options that boost the visibility of your videos on both YouTube and Google. Using YouTube as a video archive takes little extra effort for potentially measurable returns.

Videos continue to attract attention on social media feeds, so producing short- and long-form videos, where it makes sense for your business, could help you build a following, improve your SEO, and enhance your online marketing efforts.